On the Shoulder of the Wind Rivers - Lander, Wyoming
Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 11:10PM Tweet By Jim Poulton
Lander – a little town on the eastern slope of the Wind River Mountains in central Wyoming – was founded in 1869 as an army post to provide protection for immigrants headed over South Pass (the main pass through the Rockies for the Oregon, California and Mormon Trails). The town that grew up around the camp was named Lander in 1875, after the explorer Frederick W. Lander.
Frederick West Lander. Credit: Cowan Auctions
In 1906, Lander became the last stop of the ‘Cowboy Line’ of the Chicago and North Western Railway. The railroad was intended to be a transcontinental mainline to Oregon and California, but it never went further than Lander. Lander is the home of the world’s first paid rodeo, which continues to this day. And for anyone looking for adventure and challenge – either as a camper, hiker or climber – in the Wind River Mountains, Lander is the closest town to get a good beer.
Credit: Wyoming’s Wind River Country
The Wind Rivers are not for the faint of heart. My brother and I were once having lunch under a tree in the Wind Rivers. When we were done, and continued on our way, a lightning bolt struck the tree – not 75 feet behind us – and blew it to bits. There was no place to hide and we were both standing in the middle of a river. Not exactly the place you want to be in a lightning storm …
Camping at the Wind River's Titcomb Lake, 1989. Credit: Jim Poulton. All rights reserved.
Fremont Crossing, Wind River Mountains, 1989. Credit: Jim Poulton. All rights reserved.
Lander, on the other hand, is a much safer place to be!
When you drive into Lander for the first time, it won’t take long for you to recognize that the Coalter Block is the hot spot in town. It’s a good sign when the locals and the tourists frequent the same watering hole. The Lander Brewing Company, the Lander Bar, the Gannett Grill and the Cowfish restaurant sit side by side and you can walk though all four without going back out the front door.
Credit: My-West.com. All rights reserved.
The old neon sign that once hung outside the hotel is now preserved inside the Gannett Grill
Lander Hotel c. 1930s. Credit: Lander Bar
Credit: My-West.com. All rights reserved.
The Lander Bar is a hangout for local ranchers and it also hosts functions for the International Climber’s Festival each year.
Credit: My-West.com. All rights reserved.
Credit: My-West.com. All rights reserved.
The Jack Mormon Pale Ale and the organic hamburger were delicious.
Credit: My-West.com. All rights reserved.
Credit: My-West.com. All rights reserved.
The Cowfish restaurant features locally raised beef, free of hormones and antibiotics, and fish flown in regularly from the northwest (hence Cow-Fish) – and it boasts its own garden vegetables and herbs in the summer and fall.
Credit: My-West.com. All rights reserved.
Outdoor dining at the Gannett Grill, a popular spot for bicyclists.
Credit: My-West.com. All rights reserved.
Credit: My-West.com. All rights reserved.
Landmark Purina silo in Lander.
Credit: My-West.com. All rights reserved.
The bookstore, organic market, and coffee shop are a signal the independent spirit is thriving in Lander.
Credit: My-West.com. All rights reserved.
Old Town Coffee shop, Lander, Wyoming. Credit: My-West.com. All rights reserved.
“Over The Top” Commissioned by Jim and Wendy Gibson. 1992. Artist: Danny D. Edwards of Twin Falls, Idaho. Casting by Eagle Bronze Foundry & Gallery, Lander, WY. Photo credit: My-West.com. All rights reserved.
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